James Clerk Maxwell, 1831-1879

Biographical note

Scottish mathematical physicist. His most prominent achievement was formulating classical electromagnetic theory.
This unites all previously unrelated observations, experiments, and equations of electricity, magnetism, and optics
into a consistent theory. Maxwell's equations demonstrate that electricity, magnetism and light are all manifestations
of the same phenomenon, namely the electromagnetic field. Subsequently, all other classic laws or equations of these
disciplines became simplified cases of Maxwell's equations. Maxwell's achievements concerning electromagnetism have
been called the "second great unification in physics", after the first one realised by Isaac Newton.